Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

Water Meters Installation

Joe Higgins

284. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that contractors receiving funds from his Department to install water meters across the State ostensibly so that they can employ persons to install said meters can simultaneously obtain workers on the JobBridge scheme funded by the Department of Social Protection leading to a situation where contractors can retain more profit from the funds than they receive from his Department. [48186/13]

Hospital Staff Issues

Joe Higgins

471. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to representations made to his Department by a former patient of the hospital in Tallaght. [48182/13]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

1. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the Cabinet sub-committees that have met since the adjournment of Dáil Éireann in July; and the number of times each has met. [39141/13]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

3. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on social policy has met since the summer recess. [45919/13]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of times the Cabinet committee on climate change and the green economy has met since the summer recess. [45918/13]

European Employment Service

Joe Higgins

573. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of letters drawing the attention of recipients of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance to job vacancies abroad issued by her Department; and the criteria upon which it is decided who should be sent such information. [46959/13]

Septic Tank Registration Scheme

Joe Higgins

678. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person purchases a property where the prior owner was late registering for the septic tank charge, if it jeopardises the new owner's eligibility for the grant for remediation work. [46328/13]

Fire Safety Regulations

Joe Higgins

149. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the specific fire safety building regulations which were not complied with in the case of Priory Hall; and if he will confirm that such breaches of fire safety building regulations do not exist in other housing estates constructed during the building boom, in particular in the nearby Belmayne estate. [44771/13]

Constitutional Amendments

Joe Higgins

150. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will report on the timeframe for the proposed referendum to reduce the voting age to 16 years. [35073/13]

National Internship Scheme Data

Joe Higgins

5. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been an assessment of job displacement prior to the extension of JobBridge to 18 months and the introduction of the Gateway programme in local authorities. [44056/13]

Homeless Persons Data

Joe Higgins

55. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the increase in the number of homeless families following the reduction in rent allowance earlier this year. [43835/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

4. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of his salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43402/13]

Mental Health Services Provision

Joe Higgins

436. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health if the taget date for the opening of a new psychiatric unit in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, has been delayed. [43542/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

50. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of public servants in his Department who are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43396/13]

Government Pay Cap

Joe Higgins

58. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of public servants who are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach’s salary and in excess of the Government’s pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42846/13]

Financial Services Ombudsman Issues

Joe Higgins

59. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the number of determinations that were made by the Financial Services Ombudsman; the number of these that were appealed; the number of these appeals that were successful; the total legal cost of these appeals over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42847/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

87. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of public servants in his Department who are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43394/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

90. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public servants in his Department who are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43400/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

105. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43398/13]

Pensions Ombudsman

Joe Higgins

109. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of determinations that were made by the Pensions Ombudsman; the number of these that were appealed; the number of these appeals that were successful; the total legal cost of these appeals over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42849/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

123. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of public servants in her Department who are paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments in the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43401/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

126. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of public servants in his Department whoare paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43390/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

129. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of public servants in his Department who are paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43392/13]

Register of Electors Administration

Joe Higgins

132. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a common process and common criteria across the local authorities for checking the accuracy of the electoral register each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42803/13]

Register of Electors Administration

Joe Higgins

133. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the local authorities, when revising the electoral register, avail of other sources of information in addition to field workers calling to a property to determine if a registered voter is, or is not, resident at the property. [42804/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

155. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43395/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

161. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of public servants in his Department who are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43399/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

164. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Defence the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43393/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

182. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43389/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

184. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of public servants in her Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43391/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

215. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the number of public servants in his Department that are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43397/13]

Departmental Staff Remuneration

Joe Higgins

232. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of public servants in the Department being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43403/13]

Cabinet Committee Meetings

Joe Higgins

16. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of meetings the Cabinet sub-committee on mortgage arrears held since the summer recess. [40866/13]

Economic Management Council Meetings

Joe Higgins

17. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on meetings held between the banks and the Economic Management Council. [40867/13]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Joe Higgins

268. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the increase in class sizes and the impact this has on the educational welfare of the children who are affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42528/13]

Banks Recapitalisation

Joe Higgins

12. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the payments made to date to pay for the capitalisation of the banks and all other supports given to the banks. [41478/13]

National Debt

Joe Higgins

44. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the amount paid in interest on the national debt in the past year; and the amount of that interest due to debt arising from the capitalisation of the banks and other supports given by the State. [41477/13]

Syrian Conflict

Joe Higgins

67. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has held any discussions with other heads of state on the issue of Syria; and if he will report back on these discussions. [39143/13]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Joe Higgins

156. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills of those special needs assistants who have recently been made redundant, the number on the panel established by his Department. [41369/13]

Nursing Home Services

Joe Higgins

243. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health the practical and financial assistance that will be given to residents of a home (details supplied) in County Dublin in finding alternative accommodation following announcement that the home will close in the next three to five years following budget cuts [41234/13]

Financial Services Sector

Joe Higgins

6. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he intends to reform the way the IFSC Clearing House Group operates. [40865/13]

Employment Data

Joe Higgins

148. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of workers here subjected to a regime of zero hour contracts by their employers and the way the latest available figures compare to previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40976/13]

Employment Rights Issues

Joe Higgins

311. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of cases that have been taken by workers or their unions to the rights commissioner, Employment Appeals Tribunal and Labour Court in 2011 and 2012; the timeframe and the average waiting time to have cases heard in each of these bodies. [40974/13]

Employment Rights Issues

Joe Higgins

312. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the findings that are made in favour of employees by the rights commissioner, Employment Appeals Tribunal and Labour Court in 2011 and 2012; the number of times these outcomes have not been honoured by the employers; the number of times these instances have been referred to the National Employment Rights Authority for enforcement; and the rate of success for enforcing these outcomes. [40975/13]

Medical Internships

Joe Higgins

580. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Health in view of the fact that he has previously stated that the Health Service Executive has confirmed that student medical scientists on placement must be paid the monthly training allowance, the reason third-year biomedical science students in DIT have still not been paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40483/13]

Northern Ireland Issues

Joe Higgins

16. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will report on any recent meetings with the political leaders in Northern Ireland. [39142/13]

Corporate Tax Regime Issues

Joe Higgins

173. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance the amount IFSC-registered companies paid in corporation tax in 2012. [39309/13]

National Debt

Joe Higgins

175. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide information on the creditors of Ireland's national debt. [39311/13]

Third Level Fees

Joe Higgins

234. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount it would cost to remove all fees, including registration fees, for third level education. [39314/13]

Human Rights Issues

Joe Higgins

103. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the protests he has lodged with the Russian authorities in view of the recent laws enacted there that criminalise persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37653/13]